


Death In Motion

by KZDippingSauce (orphan_account)



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: All the time, Cervitaur! Dipper, Fluff, Hunter! Bill - Freeform, M/M, OC, Reality AU, Reverse Falls, Siren! Dipper, Stuff goes down, and not just what happens the first chap either, billdippppppp, but most of the time, eventually, except not always, haha i'll know as it happens i guess, it gets cute dont worry, memories change, modern day AU, monster falls, possibly confusing timeline, there are a lot of aus, you'll seeeeeee
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-26
Updated: 2016-10-21
Packaged: 2018-05-23 07:10:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 13,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6108985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/KZDippingSauce
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dipper Pines is content with his life.  He has a good home, happy family, and high aspirations.  But is this life really his?  And who the heck was tha... I mean... huh.  I can't remember.<br/>Dipper Gleeful is ready to perform the most dangerous spell of his career, with his demon Will at his side.  Nothing could stop him now.<br/>Mr. Cipher has a successful business, a prospective girlfriend, and is on top of the world.  What more could he need?<br/>Captain Cipher is the terror of the high seas, but what have he and his crew found now?<br/>A cervitaur wanders his beloved home, but what danger is lurking around the corner?<br/>One Pine Tree watches from afar, and tries to make sense of the paradox.<br/>What do these worlds have in common?  Nothing.  Then what's tying them all together?</p><p>Title thought up by Rapono, thanks, I'm using it after all ^_^</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lost to the Flow

  
**Five worlds after the origin ******

Dipper Pines woke up to a loud blaring of horns. His sister Mabel’s alarm had been abandoned on their side table, left to ring carelessly. He sighed and smacked the plastic kitten’s head, taking several tries to hit the button just right. He rubbed his eyes with a groan; it was about time for him to get up anyway, if he wanted to get to the university on time. He hadn't missed a class yet this semester; and he would like to keep that streak. 

He made his way downstairs, after pulling on some slacks and a hoodie. The bus would be here soon; just enough time to grab an energy bar and some coffee, his daily routine. After bidding a good morning to his grunkles he set out into the brisk morning air, thoughts on the day before him. He was happy; there was no reason for him not to be. He was right where he needed to be, in a good post-secondary, single but satisfied with the company of his family and friends. Not one thing could be going better. Well except for his grumpy psychology professor. But really, that was too much to ask for. 

Nope, all in all, life was great. He hummed a bit under his breath as he completed his short trip to the bus stop, an old tune he couldn't quite remember, but the lyrics said something about a spaceman. It used to be one of his favourites; he couldn't remember why he stopped listening to it. He would have to look it up again sometime. 

A sudden hand on his shoulder prompted the late teen to turn around. A man in strange attire was staring at him. He seemed short of breath, but relieved. He wore a bright yellow trench coat, black shirt and pants beneath. He had bright blond hair, black streaks underneath, and curious gold eyes, although Dipper supposed it could be called hazel in some lights. In one gloved hand he clutched a necklace, or perhaps a bracelet. He moved his hand as if to take Dipper’s in his own, but Dipper took a step back in response. “Can I help you?” 

“Dipper?” The man shook his head, a small smile on his face. “So you don't remember me either? Figures. Only person I’d like to have with me and… But I guess that doesn't matter now.” 

“Uh, excuse me? And how do you know my name?” 

The man let out a sigh. “Not enough time for this, it'll only attract more attention to both of us. Look, you’re in danger. I’m trying to figure out by who, but until I do, you need to wear this at all times.” He held out what Dipper could now tell was a black cord with a golden triangle pendant on the end. The pendant seemed to have a slight glow to it, and a single black band wound around the top complemented it nicely. Before Dipper could grasp the situation, the man had stepped toward him and put the cord over Dipper's head, allowing the pendant to rest on his chest. 

Dipper backed away almost into the street and grabbed at the charm, but finding in dismay he couldn’t get a grasp on it somehow. It was almost as though it wasn't there at all. Even when he looked down at it seemed to flicker in and out of existence. “What did you do?” 

“Relax Pine Tree, it's not gonna hurt you. Sheesh, you're a lot more annoying without your memories.” The man rolled his eyes sarcastically. “Listen, the only person you can trust in this world is me, and maybe your family; but even that I'm not one hundred percent sure on. You need to listen closely. Something is following you, and it sure doesn't have good intentions. Keep that necklace on, just in case. It'll protect you in case something goes wrong. If my plan works though, I'll take care of whatever's stalking you long before it can carry out any plot it may have, and you can go on living your happy life. Until I figure out how to restart the universe.” 

“Wait, what?!” 

“I said I didn't have time to explain! Carry on with the rest of your day, I'll do my best to take care of this before the week is out. Try to act normal, if they think you know what's going on, they'll make their move faster. If all goes well… You won't be seeing me again.” And before Dipper could say another word, the man was gone. Not like he even ran away, he just disappeared. 

Dipper glanced down the road; here came the bus, right on schedule. Time to begin the day. But hadn't he just been thinking about something… Must not have been important. He rubbed his neck, aware of a slight weight. That was strange. Probably just sore from all the time spent in front of the computer lately. Ah well, the semester was almost over. Mabel had promised him a 48 hour “fun-a-thon”, as soon as he finished his exams. He grinned a little as he climbed into the vehicle and handed over his pass, then paused halfway down the aisle. Hadn't… Hadn't he been upset a moment ago? He shook his head with a smile; the moment was gone. Just his imagination then. He took a seat as the bus drove onward, all thoughts of the strange encounter gone with the man who caused them.


	2. Still Lost to the Flow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WHAT THE HECK IS EVEN GOING ON  
> In other words: Dipdop is confused.  
> Also Bill is having a rough day.

**Five worlds from the origin ******

****

The remainder of Dipper’s day went by quickly, with nothing of particular importance occurring. He would have to study more for the upcoming geography test, but other than that, it had been a completely typical day. The sun had even come out for the later half of the day, and was now bathing the city streets in warm light. 

Dipper decided to walk home today; after all, the weather hadn't been this nice for a week, and it was better to save the bus passes for days of poor weather. It was only a few blocks to home, the exercise would do him good. He started off down the street, waving a silent goodbye to several of his classmates as he headed toward the suburban district of Piedmont. 

The streets grew quiet as he left the bustling city centre behind, the only sound now the rustle of leaves in the nearby oaks and the occasional roar of an engine passing by. It was peaceful, and Dipper was glad for the quiet. It gave him a chance to think, and… 

Something flashed out of the corner of his eye. He whirled around, but saw nothing. Only an empty sidewalk, not even a car in sight. Dipper took one more long glance around, then turned back, only to let out a cry of surprise. The triangle pendant he wasn't even aware he had been wearing was hovering in front of him, letting off a slight glow. He tried to grab it, only to watch his hand go through it as though nothing was there. The amulet itself flickered, then became brighter again, glowing more fiercely than before. It wavered in midair for a moment, then pulled off to the east, tugging gently at Dipper’s neck. He stared at it for a moment, shocked beyond reason. Where had this thing even come from? Was it some kind of metal detector or something, what was making it hover? And, more importantly, WHERE HAD IT COME FROM? 

It tugged again, more insistently. Dipper looked up in the direction it was hovering; it seemed to be leading toward a nearby side street, one he hadn't ventured down before. He took a step forward; the amulet pause in midair, then moved forward again, straining at the cord holding it in place. Dipper took another step, then another. Before he knew it, he was in the deserted cul-de-sac, standing in the centre of the circular road. The amulet hovered for a moment, then dropped back onto his chest, its glow fading softly. He touched it gently, surprised to find he could touch it now, and rubbed the gold finish slowly, trying to process what could be going on. There was nothing here, unless it was underground; but that was unlikely. 

A cloud glided over the sun, casting a long shadow over the area. Dipper looked up, and in that instant, several things happened. Firstly, the amulet let off a bright flash of light. Just as Dipper looked down at this however, he was roughly shoved to the ground. He whirled to see a strange man in almost completely yellow clothing (that seemed familiar?) holding an honest to goodness sword and blocking a blade that seemed to be made of shadow. The man turned and shouted, “What did I say? Stay out of trouble. What did you do? THE EXACT OPPOSITE I swear Pine Tree, one of these days I’m not gonna be here to save you, and YOU.” he turned back to the shadow, which had now risen up into a more humanoid form. It raised its blade in a downward strike, which the man easily parried away, following up with a slice to what might be called its arm, severing it and watching as it dissolved to dust. 

The man took a step back, swinging his own blade to the side, but staying between the creature and Dipper. “I don't know who or what you are, but at least Pine Tree has an excuse for his stupidity. Why you would of me after him I have no idea. He is very clearly marked as belonging to me, regardless of dimension or timeline. Seeing as there is no conceivable way you could be ignorant of my legacy, you either have a death wish or you believe yourself equal or greater to my power. Or for that matter, his.” He gestured back at a very confused Dipper. “And if it is the latter, let me tell you right now, you are wrong. So very, very wrong. Now, if I am correct in your reasoning, I recommend you make a hasty retreat while you still have any semblance of life flowing through whatever anatomical life substance you have.” 

The shadow lingered for a moment, then dissipated, the cloud covering the sun moving on into the horizon. The man watched it for a moment, then, without looking at the teen, grabbed Dipper’s arm and practically dragged him to the edge of the road, releasing him only when they were at the sidewalk’s edge to allow him to sit comfortably. Dipper opened his mouth to speak, but the man waved a hand in dismissal. “To be honest I don’t know if I can handle you asking questions right now. It, um… Yeah. No.” 

“I don’t even know your name!” 

“Exactly the type of questions I really wish I wasn’t having to answer…” The man sighed. “The name’s Bill. Bill Cipher. You… Used to know me.” 

Dipper was starting to get fed up. “I’m almost certain I’m hallucinating. None of this could be happening right now; this can’t be real life.” 

“Oh it could be; it could be…” Bill drifted off into silence once more. 

“Can’t you at least tell me what the heck that was?” 

Bill shrugged. “I have no idea. But it definitely had malicious intent. You saw its weapon; it meant to kill you.” 

“But why?! And what did you mean, my power? I deserve to know why I’m being hunted down!” Dipper finally made eye contact with him, and was shocked; Bill’s eyes seemed moist, and he was visibly upset. The moment passed quickly however, and Bill stared back down at him blankly. 

“I don’t need to answer any of your questions; I am an immortal being with infinite power who is not bound by the limitations of your world.” Dipper’s amulet began to glow again, but neither of the pair noticed. “I could care less what happens to you pitiful humans.” 

Dipper stood up, glaring at Bill defiantly. “Oh really? Then why do you care about me?” 

Wordlessly, Bill grabbed Dipper’s right hand and held it up to his face. Dipper stared at it in shock; a yellow ring was on his finger, one he could have sworn had never been there before. A small triangle was etched into the gold, a simple but elegant design. 

Bill held up his own right hand, displaying a similar ring, but with a blue tint and a small tree design. “I care because I remember. Even if you don’t. And I don’t break deals.” 

Dipper wrenched his hand away and studied it more closely; but even as he stared, the ring seemed to flicker and fade, until it had disappeared completely. He backed away from Bill, almost bumping into a tree. He stood beneath the leafy branches, gazing at the taller man in a mixture of fear and curiosity. “What… Why?” 

“Same question I ask myself every morning in this torture cell of a timeline Pine Tree. Right when I thought I had my happy ending too. As long as one of us is safe I guess…” Bill laughed, a loud, piercing noise, not unpleasant but simultaneously unsettling. Then he stopped, a look of confusion and then horror coming over his own face. “Pine Tree, look-“ 

But Dipper never heard the last words. A burning fire seemed to fill his chest; he glanced down, and saw a dark blade piercing his chest, thrust from his back through to the front, blood trickling slowly down the intangible point. A small gasp escaped his lips; and as he crumpled to the ground, his last sight was of a yellow clad figure rushing toward him, and a small triangle hovering before him, glowing a blinding white. Then the world disappeared. 

**End of Alternate Five**

 **Reset imminent**

**LRSMYCPFWHVG: CUSTXJB CUBX BFRH**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can anyone crack the code? Also, what is up with Dip's amulet? 0-0  
> If anyone has any ideas for crossover stories involving Bill and dipper, literally anything, let me know and it could become part of this story!


	3. A Series Of Failed Worlds Part One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something's wrong....

**Six worlds from the origin**

The cervitaur wandered through the woods, backpack slung over his shoulder and blue cap perched on his head, fluffy brown hair sticking out from beneath it at odd angles. He was on the search for some rare herbs to study, as per his uncle’s request. The wind blew through the trees, emitting a soothing melody straight from nature. The cervitaur let out a contented sigh, unaware of the hunter in unusually yellow garb aiming a shotgun at his flank. 

Bang. 

**End of world six**

**Pmslpwa: robtsq. Uismhzgubz**

**Eight worlds from the origin**

Dipper Gleeful looked down at the magical spell written in the tome before him. He clutched a vial of demon blood in his right hand; a bloodied knife in the other. The demon in question looked up from the center of the darkened room, rustling the unnecessary chains holding him there. Tears streaked his grimy face. “Don't do this Pine Needle, please… It’s too dangerous.” 

“For you perhaps,” the arrogant teen scoffed, “but not me. Now hold still Will, this'll all be over soon.” He began to speak the incantation, the demon letting out a final whimper before letting the magic take over. A brilliant blue light filled the room, but something was wrong. Before either of the pair could speak a word in defense, the magic exploded out of the room, destroying anything within a mile radius. 

**End of world eight**

**Uismhzgubz; vwawl tbtm’f fvx kvnuq**

**Twelve worlds from the origin**

The pirate lord looked down from the deck of his ship, peering into the briny depths surrounding in all directions. He could have sworn he had seen… Yes! There it was again! Something, a large fish perhaps? Was swimming in circles around the ship. It had a bright blue shine, but only on its lower half. The other side didn't seem to be reflective at all, and was more of a dull colour. The pirate rubbed at his eye patch irritably; it would be easier to categorize the beast if he had proper depth perception. 

A cry from the other side of the ship alerted any other crew that weren't already aware of the creature to its existence, and soon the rails were lined with curious onlookers. Some were claiming it was a merperson, the superstitions already taking root in their minds. Captain Cipher simply rolled his eye; it was a silly conclusion to make, it could be one of many different monsters. Or it could actually be a merperson; but still, to conclude that that was the only possibility was foolish. 

The men were lowering a net now, determined to catch the thing on its next lap. There was a moment of relative silence; then a loud chorus of voices, as the net pulled taut in their hands. The captain strode toward them, starting to get excited himself now. They hoisted the creature up onto the deck; and the sight was enough to make even the captain gasp aloud. It was a merman, or at least it appeared to be. He had brown hair that hung down wet around his shoulders, and tanned skin. His eyes were a brilliant blue, complementing his tail and arm fins nicely. Even as the group watched, the creature untangled himself from the netting and grinned, revealing rows of razor sharp teeth. 

Cipher realized just in time what was about to happen. “Get out of the way!” he shouted at the crew, whipping out his cutlass. But even as he pushed forward to strike the monster, a man closer than he shot it through the head with his pistol before it could even sing one magical note. The man, whom Bill couldn’t quite remember, nodded to the captain as the body fell back on the deck. “Siren,” he explained to crew and captain, just as the world turned to black. 

**End of world twelve**

**Dveg'a buqfx pocsc egkqasg?**

**Twenty-seven worlds from the origin**

Mr. Cipher strolled down the street, almost skipping with delight. Everything was going his way today. Not only had he fully established his recently inherited ownership of his retired father’s company, but he had also set up a date with quite the lovely young lady. Stocks were up, it was a beautifully sunny day in the city (it rained often here), and his amazon package was due to arrive any day with the replica samurai sword he had ordered straight from Japan. Yep, he thought as he leapt onto the crosswalk and started across the intersection, this is basically the best case scenario ever. 

He gasped at a sudden push from behind, knocking him and his designer $1500 suit to the ground. “What the hell?!” he shouted, but was cut off by a loud screech and a sickening thump. He scrambed up and turned around to find himself staring at a gruesome sight. A scruffy teenager, wearing some of the plainest clothing Bill had seen in a long time, and carrying a backpack full of books, obviously a college student, had pushed him- right out of the way of a truck. The teen had been struck and sent sprawling, and now lay several feet away from the stopped vehicle, arm bent back at an unnatural angle and an already enormous pool of blood around his head. A dirty blue hat with a small tree on the front lay at Bill’s feet, probably knocked off the kid when he was struck. As Bill picked it up, he turned to the driver in anger, only to find he couldn’t quite concentrate on him, as though he was made of shadow. 

And the world disappeared again. 

**End of world twenty-seven**

**Wlekl qf m ueqhpk mn mom fkgmma.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the feedback! I love to hear you guys' theories! Also, has anyone cracked the code yet? Let me know!  
> So much death. 0-0  
> Sorry if the notes glitch out again, last time it displayed the last two, I think it's a bug. :/


	4. The Pine Tree Anomaly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One Dipper Pines has a plan; but trapped in this paradox, what chance does he have of succeeding?

**An undisclosed timeline**

The man (surely he had earned that title by now, he’s been through so much) stared at the screens in front of him, watching the scenes play out one by one. Every time… why? Why him? But maybe that wasn’t the question to be asking. After all, every time he died, the world simply reset; and of course that was through Bill’s quick thinking. Maybe not the best solution, but certainly admirable considering the circumstances. But now they were stuck in a never ending loop; usually not even aware of this fact. This was one of the rare times where one of them was; namely, the one who apparently had an enormous target on his back. 

But Dipper wasn’t worried; this time, he was prepared. In this world, he had been honing his magical ability for years. He knew a multitude of spells, including one that was perfect for this situation. He could speak to himself in another timeline; only once, and it had to be soon, before his own timeline came to an end. But if he could warn another Pine Tree of the upcoming danger, and they could avoid it, perhaps this paradox could finally end. And perhaps… he could find his Bill again. 

Anything was worth a try at this point. He closed his eyes and began to chant, performing the spell to the best of his ability; which, luckily, was pretty great. He felt himself almost disconnecting with his own body, a sensation similar to that of being in the mindscape. Hopefully the Pine Tree he came in contact with would be one of the smarter ones; it would take a lot of wits to pull this off. 

**HVRHY 404: XVZS MZSR QST YVCAP? FXKOYFYLTAQAS; FXASG LQMBUMAF**

**Forty-nine worlds from the origin**

Dr. Pines raced down the hallway of the city hospital; one of his patients was dying, the man who had come in just yesterday who had fallen from the second story balcony of his home and sustained a broken arm and slight brain damage. It was a suspected suicide attempt, but so far, they had been unable to contact any of his family members or friends, for that matter. He had been stable only hours before; he had no idea what could have sent him into this downward spiral. He rounded the corner and ran a hand through his fluffy brown hair nervously; he had been appointed head doctor of this ward two days ago, and it certainly would not reflect well on him if a patient in his care died for no apparent reason. 

He burst into the room, to find a nurse leaning over the man, a small blade in his hand. “What do you think you’re doing?” He asked the nurse, pulling him away from the patient’s bed. Just then several things happened; the patient’s heart monitor stalled, the nurse, now someone who the doctor realized he had never seen before, stabbed him through with the blade, practically a kitchen knife, and more than enough to kill Dr. Pines; and a rift opened, through which a familiar looking person peered, before shaking their head and turning away. Before any of this could be processed though, a bright flash came from a device around the doctor’s neck, and everything disappeared once more. 

**End of world forty-nine**

**SMNX AZRQ'G FQGFLSN BZ VBI QEMOE; FEN AL ANHS PPOG KI HHSLF PSTZ?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I FIXED THE NOTE GLITCH! :D  
> Also, the code has officially been cracked! But if you haven't cracked it yet, here's a hint; it is a viginere cipher, so try the most obvious key words XD  
> Keep those au ideas coming! This is going to be quite a long series (you know, hopefully) and all ideas are helpful!  
> See ya next time!


	5. A Cup of Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One Dipper is enjoying a peaceful day at work, while another exists in a universe which may be familiar to some of you.

**Fifty-nine worlds from the origin**

“BYE DIPPER!” 

“see ya kid.” 

Dipper waved goodbye to the brothers and sat down behind the counter, picking up one of the novels he kept under the counter for slow days such as these. It had been a strangely quiet day; there had only been a few customers, there weren’t even the usual bloggers and college kids hanging around. He yawned and flipped the page, reading on. Bill hadn’t stopped in either; Dipper wasn’t sure if he was happy or disappointed about that. Best not to linger on it. 

The door opened, letting a rush of cool air into the establishment. Dipper’s gaze lingered on the page for a moment before looking up. “Hello, welcome to Starbucks, what can I-“ His words were cut off by a gun held to his head. A man dressed in a long black cloak and ski mask held the weapon. His eyes glimmered menacingly from behind the face covering. Dipper shuddered, fear quickly taking root. 

“Fill this with the contents of the cash register, and no funny business.” The man thrust a brown sack at the teen, and Dipper hastened to obey, glancing up at the robber every few seconds. The man’s hand was shaking, even as he pointed the pistol at him; perhaps this was his first robbery. Well he needn’t worry; Dipper didn’t love this job so much he was willing to stake his life on it. 

Just as he was about to hand over the cash, the door opened again, a cheery figure coming through it. “Hey Pine Tree!” Bill chirped, but even as he realized what was going on, the man whirled around, gun still trained on Dipper, and panicked. 

Bang. 

**End of world fifty-nine**

**CWGX AVXM WTHA'H XOLR LBTYH N QATUGX BALX GWFX. OI UMMEIE VNKYC.**

**Sixty-one worlds from the origin**

The cadets rushed to and fro, strapping on maneuver gear and grabbing extra kenn blades. A few were huddled against the walls, gripped in panic attacks; none of these fresh recruits had ever even seen a titan in real life before, let alone had to face one on the field of battle. One, who went by the name of Dip (for lack of a better one), was pacing the floor nervously. He had been one of the first to arrive at the barracks, and had been suited up for ten or fifteen minutes now, waiting for the call to advance and defend the citizens of Shiganshina district. Their squadron was meant only as back up, but everyone knew they would be called in anytime. The original squadrons weren’t fairing well, and if those fully trained troops couldn’t face the monsters, what chance did they have? Back up squad was just a façade; really, they were titan fodder while the rest of the merchants evacuated. Dip bit his lip nervously, batting a stray lock of fluffy brown hair away from his face. All he wanted was to see his sister again, one last time before he had to go out there, but she was stationed on top of the wall, firing the cannons in a desperate attempt to hold off the oncoming hordes. 

Dip stiffened as he felt a hand on his shoulder, then relaxed as he turned and saw his good friend Bill. He wore a huge grin on his face, as if the end of the world was a huge party and he had been exclusively invited. His trainee jacket was wrapped around his shoulders by the sleeves, and his maneuver gear hung lopsided at his waist. “Hey Pine Tree! You excited?” 

“Terrified more like.” Dip let out a small laugh and helped Bill readjust the gear, despite his unhappy grumbling. Even though Bill had signed up for the military, he hated the conformity of it all. Seemed like a poor career choice, but really, was there anything better out there? 

Bill glanced down at his friend, a look of concern now on his face. “You alright?” 

Dip took a step back and grinned, avoiding eye contact. “Sure, I'm sure we'll be fine. I mean, this is what we signed up for. I guess it's just different, when you're actually faced with the possibility…” He let out a shaky sigh. 

Without another word, Bill pulled Dip into a hug, gripping him tightly in an effort to reassure the younger cadet. Dip stiffened, but then relaxed; everyone else was too engrossed in their own suffering to be judgemental. “It's just…” He trailed off. 

“I know.” Bill squeezed his shoulders, then let him go. “But we’ll survive this, alright?” 

An alarm blared; the signal for the troops to assemble outside. Bill looked up, then grinned. “I'm in the left middle squad if you need me, or if you just get fed up of the idiots in your troop.” He sped off, leaving Dip to get organized with his own squadron, feeling nervous but at least slightly reassured. Bill tended to have that effect on people. 

The squads burst out of the barracks and through the gate leading to Shiganshina district. The destruction inside was a whole new level of traumatizing for the fresh recruits. Even at this back corner of the town, bodies lay on the ground, scattered like so many dolls. A titan carcass was still smoldering only ten meters away, and pheasants scurried around the steaming remains as if their lives depended on it; which they did. As the back-up entered the town, blood-stained soldiers pushed past them, carrying injured or dead companions back to the safety of the wall. Dip avoided as many of these sights as he could; choosing to look at the blades in his hands rather than the carnage that had already ensued. 

His squad leader shouted for them to advance, and the group soared up on their gear, running along the rooftops to conserve gas. All around them squads were doing the same, branching off to their assigned areas; Dip caught a brief glance of Bill’s bright yellow hair bobbing along before soaring out of sight. He turned back to his own group; they were stationed in the right front, so they had a small ways to go. 

Suddenly a titan’s head reared up in front of them. A 10-meter which had seemingly come out of nowhere was staring at them, an eerie grin lighting up its face. Dip gasped; it was enormous, the training dummies didn’t do it justice. 

The captain shouted out a command, and the group circled around the beast in an attempt to kill it. One recruit dived for its neck, but to the group’s surprise, the thing whirled around and grabbed her, allowing her to let out one anguished scream before swallowing her whole. 

The group lost all semblance of order at that point; it became a fight for survival, each person out for themselves. The captain tried to order them to stay in formation, but fear had taken root, and no one paid him any heed. Soon there were three titans surrounding their squad, and more than half of them were injured or dead. 

Dip ran for it. He jetted around one titan, soaring over another who was preoccupied with trying to catch the captain, and finally flying into the open air, gliding for a moment before landing none too gently on a nearby roof. He pushed himself up quickly and kept moving, leaping from rooftop to rooftop until he was a couple blocks away from his assigned location. He finally looked back, panting, to see his captain bitten in half by the original titan which had charged their group. He watched in shock, unable to comprehend the horror of what had just happened. He didn’t see any of his other teammates emerging from the wreckage either. He might have been the only survivor… 

An enormous stomp from behind made him whirl around; a twelve meter had snuck up on him, and was now right in front of him. Dip choked back a sob; there was no way he could maneuver around this one, and even less of a chance he could actually defeat it. The titan moved to grab him- then stopped. It slowly toppled over, steam already rising off its body as it disappeared. 

Dip stared at the body in shock, and even more so at the person who landed next to him. He didn’t recognize this recruit; he had dark hair, almost like the famous Captain Levi, and it was difficult to make out his eyes. He looked completely calm, as if it wasn’t the end of the world. Almost like… Bill. He should go find Bill, if he was even… no. He couldn’t allow himself to think like that. Dip moved to take off again, only to be stopped by the stranger’s hand on his arm. ‘What… no thank you?” He asked quietly. 

Something about his voice was unsettling. It screamed danger; although it could have just been Dip’s panicked mind overreacting. “Oh… sorry. Thank you.” 

“See? Manners take seconds to use.” He moved forward suddenly, grabbing at something around Dip’s neck. “This looks expensive. Where did you get it Soldier Pines?” 

“How did you know my-“ 

He made an irritated noise. “Just answer the question.” 

Dip pulled back, releasing the stranger’s hold on his amulet. “Bi- My friend gave it to me. I’m sorry, who are you?” 

“What… meaning does it have?” 

Dip took another step away. “I don’t understand what you mean.” 

“Why did he give it to you?” 

“I don’t…” Dip hesitated a moment. “It was just a token, some cheap trinket he had picked up before we started training. It doesn’t mean anything.” 

“Hmm. Then I suppose we will just have to test my theory.” He moved forward suddenly, too quickly for Dip to react. He shoved Dip over the edge of the roof, right into the healing titan’s lap, where he was immediately snatched up by the beast. Its nape had not been cut; only its Achilles tendon, and it was already nearly healed. 

Dip let out a shriek. “H-help!” The titan pulled itself up, carrying the teen with it. Dip looked down with effort at the stranger. “Why would you-“ 

“Don’t worry, if I am correct, this will all be over before you know it.” The man grinned suddenly, a terrifyingly evil expression. “Actually, no. You’ll know when it’s over, because you’re going to feel every excruciating moment. But if you’re lucky, this hell of a paradox will continue, and you won’t remember a thing. Lucky.” 

Dip let out one final scream, before being cut off. 

**End of world sixty-one**

**GVXKL'W T OETXPV BG ALX ARDXRA; TG BRYWKPWRSG MDMLB**

**BQ XUSR VHR'M XNWP VH MHNIMPXC, XUS YNAYKM FLC ACM XEMLB**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow I didn't think this fic would be so popular XD you know, relatively. Keep those story ideas coming!  
> Also, the cipher key for this chapter has been changed! Here's a hint: it's not the title. XD  
> Let me know what you think of the story so far, any feedback is welcome! ^_^  
> (Also the first au is based on A Cup of Coffee and a Piece of Heart Cake, by Rapono. Go check it out!)


	6. Really Real Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse of the origin, and a WHOLE NEW WOOOORRRRLLLLLDDD :D

**The origin**

“No… No. NO!” He stumbled back down to the portal room, taking the stairs rather than the lift in some attempt to burn off the anger raging inside him. “If they leave now… They can't. They'll destroy us all!” He scrambled to unlock the small box containing their one saving hope. He took out the small object, rolling it between his fingers experimentally. “If I do… But if I don't...” He laughed, an insane echo in the empty area. “What more do I have to lose?” He dropped the object, watching it roll and clatter, till it came to a gentle stop. 

**Origin connection lost**

**Substituting origin world**

**NBW LV XAM TOZRBMNYI UMZLR**

**Fourth world from the origin**

May looked up from her phone, a temporary distraction lost. “So, wait, should Dipper be BB8 or Finn?” 

Ryan hummed from her seat at the end of the bed. “Finn. I wanna ship StormPilot.” 

May laughed. “But BB is so much fun! And you can almost ship it and Poe already.” 

“But STORMPILOT.” Ryan slammed her fist on the bedspread in mock insistence. 

“Alright alright, StormPilot.” May chuckled as she turned back to her notes, then to the journal spread across her lap. The pair were probably the last two awake in the building, choosing to stay up and talk fanfiction rather than get a restful night’s sleep like the rest of the youth on the retreat with them. “That works. Bill is uncontested Poe, and maybe Mabel could be BB then?” She looked up, surprised at the silence. “Ryan?” 

Ryan seemed zoned out, head facing towards the stairwell. She didn't stir for a moment; then laughed. “Sorry Pine Tree, got distracted for a second there.” She laughed again, more quietly. 

May let out a small laugh. “So it's gonna be nicknames tonight? Alrighty then Dorito, what do you think? Mabel for BB?” 

“What’s a BB?” 

“You know who BB8 is, we were just talking about it. You getting tired or something?” May glanced at her friend, a smirk on her face, only to be replaced with a concerned look. “Ryan?” 

A look of something akin to surprise crossed her face, but only for an instant. “I’m fine, er… Pine Tree, wanna go for a walk?” 

“A walk?” May glanced out the window of the loft; it was pitch black outside, with small snowflakes drifting down from the darkness. “It’s like 1 AM, technically we should be sleeping right now anyway, I think it’d get the leaders in trouble if we were caught…” She turned back to Ryan. “Why?” 

“I uh… left a surprise in the woods. We should go get it.” 

“Well that sounds like something a murderer would say.” May laughed. “Can’t it wait till morning? How could we even find it in the dark?” 

“Oh I know where it is, it’d be fine. Have a little faith Pine Tree.” 

“Nah, not tonight. We can go tomorrow morning, even before everyone else is up if you want, but I don’t want to trip and break my neck.” 

“Well if you won’t come with me, at least give me your amulet so I can take care of it myself.” 

May looked down at the yellow foam triangle hanging around her neck by a plain black cord. “What? Why?” She touched it hesitantly. “You know the clay streaks if it gets wet, and it’s snowing outside. What could you possibly need it for?” 

“I- I just do, okay? It’s important.” She wasn’t making eye contact, staring instead at the collection of story notes on her lap. 

“Ryan… no. It’s too late, I don’t want you going out there by yourself either. They said there were bears and stuff in the woods; even if it’s winter, it’s not safe.” May closed her notes and tucked them with her bag next to the bed. “Come on; let’s get some sleep, and you can show me in the morning.” 

Ryan stopped; then pushed herself up off May’s bed somewhat awkwardly. She grabbed her bedtime stuff and made her way downstairs to finish getting ready. May watched her leave; she was definitely acting strangely… Ah well. She yawned; yeah, they had stayed up way too late. Deciding against a bathroom break, she snuggled into her sleeping bag in the small triangle-shaped room and turned off the lamp. She started to doze off almost immediately, waking up only twice; once when Ryan came back up and crawled into her own bed; and another, when a slight rustling beside her bed attracted her attention. She looked down to find her gloves had fallen out of her jacket pocket, and were now lying on the bare wooden floor. Deciding she was too comfortable to rescue the pair, she rolled back over and was soon sound asleep again, oblivious to the lack of snores from her roommate’s bed. 

**Fourth world continues**

**GVBL PW MPX TQCCKMHRM XTCX; COR TAXXVMTSA**

_

<http://kzcecildippingsauce.tumblr.com/post/141047098169/the-real-life-amulet-from-my-fanfic-death-in>

_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, you might be able to figure out who and what started this whole mess now...  
> Also! Characters May and Ryan were based on myself and fellow writer and close friend Rapono. The "Stormpilot" conversation did actually happen, as well as a few other details.  
> Only one person figured out the last chapter's cipher key, so I left it the same this time as well. If you're still stumped, pay close attention to the hint from last chapter XD  
> LET ME KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE PLOT IS GOING! Given the clues, you might be able to figure out some major secrets now... :D  
> ALSO THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO READS THIS AND ALSO TO THE COMMENTERS (comment people? idk lol) IT MEANS A LOT TO ME TO SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY ENJOYING THIS I LOVE YOU ALL :D


	7. The Realest Reality of all Real Realities (or, I am reallllyyy bad at titles XD)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another view of the origin, and the conclusion of the reality au

**The Origin**

The pair clambered out of the burning building, both too exhausted to simply magic their way out of danger. The taller pulled the other over a pile of debris, then shoved the back door open with his shoulder. They hurried out into the yard and to the forest, both squinting in the late afternoon sunshine, brighter than anything they had seen in the past while. 

They kept moving until they reached a familiar clearing, sunlight filtering through the trees and peacefully dancing across the small pond. The pair sat down on the old fallen log, arms naturally intertwining in some search for comfort. They could still see smoke rising up above the tree line, destroying what was once a home for them; or at least, one of them. 

They sat in comfortable silence, with the understanding that they were free. Finally, finally free. It had seemed like so long… how long had it been really? Months? Years? It had been impossible to tell. Yet still their secret grotto was here, as mysterious and impenetrable as the day each of them had happened upon it. They had shared many memories together here, both good and bad; but mostly good. Without even speaking they had decided to come here, so that spoke to the harmony associated with it, a peaceful zone in the midst of a war. 

Finally, they could be together. 

**Origin connection lost**

**Substituting origin world**

**ZYCF SA XNV ABKT; FAK BBG BS GTBVODI OK?**

May woke up the next morning to a freezing cold room. She shivered beneath her sleeping bag, pulling it closer around her. “Ryan?” She rolled over sleepily, only to sit up in shock. There was no one in the opposite cot. The sleeping bag was still rolled up at the end, and her story notes were scattered around the bed carelessly. It was unlike her to be so careless with her hard work. A frigid breeze blew through the room, and May pulled back the curtains to reveal a wide open window, with footprints along the snowy roof leading away from the room, until they reached the dropoff. 

She let out a curse, leaping out of bed and tugging on jeans and a hoodie over her pjs. This didn’t make any sense, why on earth would she have gone out the window? She dashed downstairs, dodging around other sleepy teenagers just beginning to rise, and ran outside, ignoring the call of one of her friends. She hurried to the point where the footsteps had gone over the roof, and let out a sigh of relief when she saw the prints continue on the ground off into the woods. So she was fine then; or at least she had been. What the heck?! Why would she have insisted on sneaking off into the woods, when she hadn’t even had her… 

May’s hand leapt to her neck; and just as she had suspected, her pendant was gone. She let out an exasperated sigh; none of this made sense. Honestly, it sounded like a poorly written fanfiction, and believe her, she was the QUEEN of those. She set off across the yard, heading towards the edge of the forest. She looked at the tracks; Ryan hadn’t even followed a trail, she had made her own path through the foliage. May slowly began to make her way along this path, suddenly wishing she had taken more time to dress properly; it was definitely below zero. She shoved her hands deeper into her pockets and continued on. 

She walked for at least half an hour, weaving in and out of the trees and bushes. It seemed as though Ryan had been moving quickly, making no attempt to hide her whereabouts whatsoever. Broken twigs and crushed leaves littered her trail sporadically, making her simple to track, even for May’s unexperienced eyes. She continued on, moving quickly to keep up her circulation and body heat. Soon she came upon a clearing, with a small pond and a fallen log laying to one side. A trap door in the ground had been left open, and May stared into it with bewilderment. It was a completely metal box in the ground, with a pull back lid. There was nothing inside it at the moment, but May was willing to bet there had been not long ago. She stood up, and found something even more shocking. Just beyond the fallen tree, there was a complicated looking rune burnt into the ground, still smoking around the edges. There were… cipher symbols carved around the edge? May walked closer, right to the edge of the lines. Yes, that was definitely a pine tree, and that looked very much like a simple Bill Cipher drawing. There was also what looked like Greek and Latin words around the lines, following the spirals and circles around neatly. There were other symbols too, but May couldn’t understand them. In the center there were traces of finer detail, but most of it had been burnt out of readable existence, in a mark about two feet in diameter. She started to step closer, but was stopped by a sudden hand on her shoulder. 

“Careful Pine Tree, there could be some residual magic or something, not really sure how it would react, but probably it would be detrimental to your health, and we can’t have that.” 

May whirled around, unsurprised to see Ryan standing there, clad in her clothes from last night and clutching something in her right hand. What she was shocked at though, was Ryan’s eyes. They let off a slight yellow glow, very obvious in the shade of the trees. And the only place she had ever seen anything like that was on… 

Ryan laughed, an insane ring to it. “Have you figured it out yet?” 

May let out a nervous chuckle. “Is this some elaborate prank? How’d you do the eyes, huh?” 

“Oh these are real.” Ryan (or perhaps not?) was studying her closely now. “C’mon sapling, it’s not so hard to understand. Get over your limited understanding of space-time machinations.” 

“Oh ok, I’m dreaming then.” May laughed, relief obvious on her face. “This is the most lucid dream I’ve had in a long time, cool. Hey Bill. So I guess you’re possessing Ryan?” 

“Yes, but this isn’t a dream.” 

“Sure, sure. How’d you manage to possess her huh? Did she make a deal or…” 

“No, it’s just that in this dimension I shouldn’t exist, but there’s still a being representing me, which just so happens to be your friend here. “ She; or rather, he (let’s call it, RyBill), waved his hand in the air, as though batting away an irritating fly, a small blue flame rising up from his hand as he did so. “I was able to possess her simply because we were the same entity, kind of. It’s hard to explain in human terms, and you’re not half as well educated in magic as MY Pine Tree.” 

“So I’m the Pine Tree of this dimension then?” 

“Yep, or at least the closest thing this dimension has. This wasn’t ever really supposed to happen; and let me tell you, this meatsack’s soul was not too happy about the arrangement. Something about making a mess of her stationary? I dunno. I wasn’t really paying attention. She even had the audacity to try to take her body back by force! Luckily I am far more experienced in the workings of the soul and body. She did try to tell you, with that glove stunt last night. Too bad you weren’t paying attention either.” 

May shrugged. “I was tired. So I assume it was you last night going after my necklace? What was that all about?” 

RyBill hesitated. “I needed it to save my dimension’s Pine Tree. Hopefully. So far it hasn’t worked. But then again the circumstances are different than I would have liked. But I think you can help me with that.” 

“Alright, I’ll play along. This’ll be one hell of a story in the morning if nothing else. What do I need to do?” 

RyBill started to speak, about to contradict her, but decided against it. “Put back on your necklace.” He held it out, dangling it from his fist. 

May took it and blinked down at it in surprise. “It’s heavier than before, it feels like solid metal.” She reached up to clasp it around her neck while Bill explained. 

“Yeah it’s structural components changed when it was combined with- Honestly it’s a long story, basically it’s other half wasn’t satisfied with flimsy foam and a piece of hardware.” He waved a hand by his head again. “Shut UP kid! You can tell her all that later, it doesn’t change anything. Now behave before I decide to throw this fleshbag of a vessel down a ravine or something.” 

May laughed as she finished attaching the pendant. “Ryan doesn’t sound too happy. Be nice, you did just steal her body, that tends to be distressing.” She let the amulet rest against her chest, noting the slight glow it was giving off. “Now what?” 

“Um…” RyBill glanced around, then snapped his fingers. “Perfect. Come on.” He led her a little ways through the forest, till they reached the edge of a steep hill, dropping away at least fifteen feet before sloping back to flat ground. “Okay, so this is the part you probably won’t like. I’m going to push you down the hill.” 

“Okay.” 

He raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “You have a death wish Pine Tree? That doesn’t seem canon.” 

May looked at the bottom of the hill and grinned. “Nah, nothing like that. But everyone knows that once you hit the ground you wake up. And I wanna stop dreaming before it turns to a nightmare or switches to some stupid montage of school, haha.” She glanced back at RyBill. “What exactly is this supposed to accomplish though? Just for curiosity’s sake.” 

“If I did the spell right (which of course I did, I am Bill Cipher), the amulet should sense when any Pine Tree is in danger, regardless of dimension or timeline, and reset to a completely new situation, which would hopefully pull him (or her, I guess) out of danger and, best case scenario, a world safe to live in permanently. The device is kind of random though, so… it might take a few tries to get there. But the fact that the amulet is in my image… you know what, it doesn’t matter. You ready?” 

May nodded. “Sure. This has been fun, hope I can write it all down before I forget. I’m notoriously bad at that.” 

RyBill reached forward to push her… then stopped. He reached forward again, only to seem to be pulled backwards slightly. He growled, “No kid, you will NOT stop this. I said the timeline would reset, now BACK OFF!” His hand bolted towards her, and May fell… 

**End of world four**

**YF NUSA AGJ GL WQWYZIA; S OYKJM V RIZK WUVVMH YF ZNB. JYZ ZN'F XWX SP ZNETX; ZYYEO'A E MCCGMP MT KBR CGWZVG, BXTC ZYY CBWKXRGZOZ GGE ARD ZMJ FZ VD. IRJ YY OOBXKI BHBZC, HVZBBM MZ UYFDZSEJ NUOU FUKB.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I actually do have a foam triangle pendant I wear constantly, and yes the colors do streak when it is wet. XD  
> Also! Code for this chap is a little harder, so i'll give you a hint: GTBVODI translates to ACHIEVE. It is a vigenere cipher though, you'll have to reverse engineer it :P  
> Can anyone figure out what Bill fused with the amulet? It is something that canonly exists in the show.  
> Also, does anyone know how to insert a picture into the text of the story? I've seen people do it but I have no idea how to do it myself XD  
> Thanks for reading!


	8. GravityTale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A crossover that seems cliché fills you with determination...

**World 104 from the origin**

“So… It all comes down to this.” Dipper looked up at his friend, and sighed. “I’d ask you why, but… I don’t think you’d answer. Honestly, even after you killed Mabel, I wasn’t sure what to do. I definitely didn’t want to confront you, but it’s gotten to the point where I can’t afford to not care anymore.” His opponent remained silent, unmoving. His brilliantly yellow jacket was stained dark now, stains Dipper would rather not have to think about. His eyes were shaded, making his expression unreadable. In contrast, even with his blinded eye, Dipper’s face showed a large mix of emotion, from sadness to anger to exhaustion, that more than any others. He obviously had not slept in several days; his manner was that of someone who had utterly given up. But even still, there was a definite strength reflected in his eyes, that which can only be earned by someone who has gone through great hardship and survived. 

Dipper lowered his gaze, allowing a sad smile to grace his features. “I never thought you would have gone this far… But I can’t in good conscience allow you to leave the Falls. If you were allowed into the outside world... I can’t imagine the destruction you would cause. Or rather, I could; but you and I both know how dangerous imagining is.” He looked up, his good eye now glowing a bright blue as he drew upon his magical stores. “One last chance Bill. Turn back before I have to fight you.” 

Bill didn’t respond. He didn’t make eye contact or react in any way; which honestly concerned Dipper more than if he had shown any emotion at all. Instead, he moved his arm forward, revealing a bloodied knife that had been hidden up his sleeve. He grinned now, but the smile was devoid of any sort of joy normally recognized by humans. He took one step forward, then another. 

Dipper shook his head sadly. “I warned you.” He raised his arm in the air, summoning golden flames, then sent them toward his new enemy. 

The battle was not long; which surprised Dipper greatly. He and Bill had sparred on occasion before, each using their own magic against the other. A simple fire spell should not have been able to take out the great Bill Cipher. He stood there a moment, staring at the body- 

He was in the judgement hall, staring at the very much so alive Bill Cipher. He blinked to hide any surprise he may have felt. He could have sworn Bill gave up the reset ability years ago, something about morals (which Dipper had been skeptical that Bill could have had any). But no, this was definitely reset. Dipper put on a fake grin and began his attack again, once again ending the conflict quickly. Why wasn’t Bill using his own abilities? That knife might be able to hit him eventually, but it could take ages, and hundreds of resets. 

Dipper actually was unsure how many resets had happened now. Anywhere from fifty to possibly two hundred? He wasn’t positive that was correct though. It was hard to keep track when it was just the same reality, over and over, with no way to record time passing, since everything would just reset. Slowly the battles got longer and longer, until Bill was effectively dodging around any flame Dipper could summon. He had become predictable in his attack. So Dipper was forced to change tactics, throwing in other specialty magic and more varied strikes. But even these were growing repeated and overused. But Dipper refused to simply give up, continuing his attack and defense until finally defeating Bill once again. 

After one such defeat, Dipper closed his eyes in anticipation of the reset, only to open them to a dark room. In front of him were two floating boxes; one reading reset and another reading save. Dipper attempted to push the reset button, but it didn’t respond to his touch. Neither did the save. He glanced around the black space, and in another blink, was surprised to see an entity in front of him who looked very similar to himself. He wore a brown cloak, almost like a cloak from that space movie he had seen a while back. His eyes glowed a bright blue (both of them, Dipper noted) and he hovered slightly, at least above the level Dipper himself seemed to stand on in this void. His pine tree hat was a darker blue, almost indigo, in contrast to his own faded sky blue cap. 

The man smiled down at him, although there was a strange coldness in the gaze. “I imagine you have a lot of questions right now.” 

“One or two, sure.” Dipper gazed up at him coolly. “But why don’t you just explain yourself, save us both some time.” 

This made the man laugh. “You were the correct choice. I am you, from another dimension, as you might have been able to tell. I’m here because I believe you might be able to save all of us, pine tree totems and cipher incarnations alike.” 

“If you’re referring to the reset paradox I’m doing my best.” 

“No, not that; although that is a problem as well. No, there is something much greater going on. I can give you the key to fixing your world; and in return, your actions will save the rest of us. But there is one fact you need to know first.” 

Dipper shrugged. “Can’t be worse than anything I’ve dealt with. Spill.” 

“The Bill you are fighting is already dead.” 

**World 104 continues**

**OBTL YCVI SQRM GWMR**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, part one of the undertake crossover no one asked for! To clarify roles, Dipper is equivalent to Sans, Mabel would be Papyrus, and Bill Frisk; but some stuff in the timeline has changed that i'll probably clarify next chapter.  
> Also, in this Undertale au, there are actually quite a few humans in the underground, called the Falls, but all of them have something unique about them, such as magic or hybrid genetics or simply being disguised as a human, like Bill would be.   
> The vig cipher for this chapter is special; you have to guess what device is changing the timeline in order to crack it ;)  
> Thanks for reading! And keep those au ideas coming!


	9. UnderFalls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The world continues, and the mysterious figure of worlds past finally reveals his motives...

**World 104 continues**

“What?” Dipper looked up at his fellow pine tree in shock. “I mean… no. Now that I think about it… That does make sense. But explain to me how?” 

His opposite stopped hovering, dropping down to his level. “He was killed long before the killing started, his soul snuffed out in the night. The being controlling his body now… he is the source of all our problems. He’s been monitoring us since before the start, and he’s found out we control the paradox. I don’t know what his master plan is… But we have to stop him. He’s killed more pine trees than any other causes in this cycle. I’m projecting myself here from my own dimension, but once I go back…” He shook his head slightly, a sad smile lighting up his face. “I think I’m one of the only Pine Trees who has realized what’s going on; which is why it was so important I find another who is strong enough to fight back and solve the problem. I think you can do that.” 

“Well I guess it’s at least a little reassuring that I’m not really fighting my best friend.” But Dipper looked anything but reassured. “What do I do then?” 

“It’s simple really; just listen closely.” 

When the judgement hall appeared once again, Dipper didn’t bother to say anything to his opponent. Not this time. Now that he understood what was going on… That- thing- wasn’t worth his time. He needed to end this quickly. He attacked more quickly this time, sending large amounts of magic spiraling towards his enemy, landing a lot of damage. But still it survived, and when he actually came close enough to Dip to land a blow, almost killing him for the first time, Dipper decided it was time to reveal what he had learned. He took a step back, lowering his spells for a moment. “Time out, okay? I want to say something.” 

The imposter stopped, then took a step back himself, apparently willing to humor his opponent. 

Dipper nodded in thanks, and began, “First of all, I don’t know who or what you are, but you certainly aren’t my Bill. Really that should have been obvious in the beginning, since you weren’t using magic to attack me. Bill always thought weapons were beneath him, especially since his own power was so great. But not once have you spoken to me, you haven’t even made eye contact, which tells me that you’re either possessing his body or simply pretending to be him; either way, you’ve been trying to hide it from me. Which also tells me you thought by pretending to be him you could play off my mercy. So why don’t you explain to me exactly what’s going on.” 

The man grinned, then laughed, an insane noise in the silence of the hall. “Finally. Let me guess, that OP totem from like eighty worlds ago told you? Good. Maybe this will be a challenge now. Yes, I killed your Cipher, and took his body for my own. Just another experiment in how far I can take this paradox. I’ve figured out that you are the key now; if I can just kill you, the universe resets. Apparently, if I kill everyone else, nothing happens, but if I kill only you, the entire galaxy jumps to fix it.” He laughed again, and Dipper noted the difference between his voice and Bill’s higher pitch. “I’m going to figure out how to end the paradox, then I’m going to kill you for real, maybe Cipher too.” 

“Why not just let me be? If you don’t kill me, the world will stay as it is.” 

“You’d think that would be the logical path, but no. Regardless of whether or not I’m the one to do it, you will die one day, sooner or later. And remembering each and every stupid world that’s gone past…” He giggled softly, “It gets a liiittle tiresome. No one person should be able to command the cosmos like you do, and whether it’s your fault or Cipher’s, I’m going to right the wrongs you two have started. You know, if you don’t mess around with objects banned in 9000 dimensions, you don’t have to deal with consequences like these. Just a little side note.” His expression suddenly darkened. “I know what you’re going to do. But breaking my reset won’t solve the problem. I remember everything, and you don’t, usually. Your boyfriend is more likely to, but still, I’ll just keep restarting the cycle, until I break you or the device, whichever comes first. So tell me, how exactly do you believe you have a chance?” 

Dipper was silent for a moment. “So not only did you kill everyone I’ve ever known, but you also killed my closest ally across all the dimensions so you could impersonate him ultimately just to kill me again. That’s pretty messed up.” The man shrugged. “Before I answer your question, could you at least introduce yourself?” 

“Oh yes, how rude.” He dropped the knife he held to the side, kicking it away in disgust. “Of course I can’t give you my real name.” 

“Of course.” 

“I go by Codex.” 

Dipper nodded. “Thank you. Now, Codex, I’d like to point out something you’ve forgotten. Each person has three parts to their being, the soul, spirit, and body. When you kill someone, it removes their soul from their body. Usually this is done by severing the spirit, which is what binds the two together. But what happens to the spirit after the departing of the soul? The spirit lingers, especially if the being has tampered with it at some point during their life. And believe me, Bill screwed around with his being far more than was healthy.” He took a step forward, allowing a small golden flame to build in his palm. “So his spirit could still be around. What good does that do me? Why should it matter? First of all, magic is stored in the spirit, so all of Bill’s unique abilities are still on this plane of existence. Secondly, this amulet-“ He pulled the small triangle out from beneath his hoodie and displayed it to Codex”- this amulet is apparently the key to the cycle of worlds. Bill made it back at the beginning of all of this, which means that he cast a spell on it using his magic. A person’s magic is always drawn back to its origin, or vice versa. So using this amulet-“ his blind eye, the one that never reacted when he used his own magic, started to glow a bright yellow”- I can use Bill’s magic, every last drop. Effectively, I have the power of two of the most powerful beings in the universe at my disposal. So yeah, I think I might have a bit of a chance.” The golden flame in his hand grew suddenly, leaping up in a blast of blue and gold, as the two magic types mixed together. 

“Very nice, very nice.” Codex clapped his hands in mock adoration. “Guess this means I can use my own magic now too? It’s been so drab having to hide my true power, you wouldn’t believe how constricting this body is, ugh…” He raised an arm, and black magic gathered around his hand, summoning dark flames around him on all sides. “Shall we go at it then?” 

Dipper nodded grimly, and the two fell into the easy rhythm of combat. Well, not easy; but each was so powerful that for a long time neither could get close to the other. It took Dipper a while to get used to the two very different style of magic he was attempting to use, but he could still easily defend himself from Codex’s attacks. Codex’s fighting style was very offensive, because in his eyes, there was no need to defend himself when he would simply reset yet again. If he could just get one hit on Pine Tree, that would be the end of it. 

Dipper knew this, and so was playing a very defensive strategy, only sending out magic when he knew he was well covered on all sides. It was one of these times when he finally managed to kill Codex again. 

Codex hit reset, and the cycle continued. 

This went on for countless resets, each time Dipper growing a little more accustomed to his new powers, and Codex being utterly defeated, not even getting close to Dipper usually, even with his own abilities. So the world continued, and this would be the longest of the alternate worlds, when all the time spent in resets was added up. 

Finally, as Codex reset once more and he and Dipper fell back to the usual battle, he crumpled over suddenly, clutching a stomach wound. Dipper was confused for a moment; then grinned. “I gave you that damage last reset. I’ve finally broken your save. This is the last round Codex.” 

Codex was silent for a moment, then laughed. “You got me. Congratulations Pine Tree, you’ve saved your timeline. You know, except for the fact that everyone’s dead.” 

“The other pine tree is taking care of that, you can’t even hold that against me.” Dipper summoned one more spike of magic, preparing to end the final battle. 

“True, guess I’d better go then.” To Dipper’s surprise, there was a bright flash, and Bill’s body collapsed on the floor, apparently lifeless. Dipper stepped closer, wary of a trap. He had fought Codex enough to realize he was quite the trickster, and this wouldn’t be the first time he had faked death. So when he saw the body twitch, he sent a bolt of magic through his chest without a second thought. But he wasn’t expecting to hear a very familiar voice whisper, “Pine Tree?” or see two very familiar golden eyes staring up at him in pain and confusion. 

“No…” Dipper dropped to the floor and pulled Bill close to him, desperately thinking for any way to fix this, but neither he nor Bill had specialized in healing magic. “You… you said he was dead!” 

“I lied…” Codex’s voice called back to him, followed by that oh so terrible laugh. “Humans… so very gullible… there was no need for me to kill him, I just stole his body. He got to watch every agonizing second of every reset, oh man it was hilarious!” He laughed once more, before his voice faded away. 

“No, no no no no…” Bill was barely breathing, his eyes had already fluttered closed, Dipper could feel his soul slipping away and there was nothing he could do. Tears came to his eyes, and as overwhelmed as he was, he never could have anticipated or even stopped the wave of dark magic coming at him from behind. 

**End of world 104**

**BUFB'F MGMXOL; QG'X OBVX RRW JIE.**

**NN GPX EOQXKU NVFQLRV WR QAYMENXPLVK, Q QTV'G AXC ZPC Q PFV'G KAYQOI BUJ ZHTXQ DA AMYQ.**

**Q QIKC BWY BB YZL IGB VBSX ZJ KBLXV. BWY LBS'B XVHU ZPEB LTC'EM WCDTMVT BQGP.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... yeah. Big chapter, lots of technical stuff I tried to explain as well as I could, haha. If you have any questions just ask me in the comments, I'm more than happy to explain in greater detail :)  
> Vigenere key is the same as last chapter, which is to say, you have to figure out what device (which has been shown on the canon show) is causing this chain reaction. There's another big hint in this chapter, so if you haven't figured it out you probably can now. I'll clarify how the chain reaction started next chapter, so look forward to that!  
> Big thanks to everyone who's been commenting and continuing to read the story, it means a lot to me! I didn't think this story would actually take off, and you guys are the reason I'm continuing it. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!  
> (P.S. does anyone know how to insert an image into a story? I still can't figure it out XD)


	10. Wrapping Things Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A more detailed origin story, and the conclusion of one pine tree's tale

**The origin**

Stanford Pines pulled himself from the wreckage of the 1st floor bunker, coughing heavily. He seemed to be fine; at least, physically. But nothing was fine about this situation, nothing at all. He took to the stairs leading down to the other bunkers, rather than escaping the unstable conditions such as th- the experiments had done. As he went he heard a shout from above, no doubt one of them. Heat waves followed him, and there was no doubt in the man’s mind that his home above was burning. But none of that mattered. Not if he could reach the device before the roof collapsed in on him or he died of smoke inhalation. 

In the wreckage above, Bill pulled Dipper through a collapsed doorway and kept going, trying to remember which way was the way out of this stupid shack. Neither of the pair had enough magic left to even protect themselves from the flames quickly surrounding them, let alone spelling their way out of here, not after that massive failure. Well, not failure he supposed; after all, they were out of the bunker, which had been the plan. However, that didn’t mean the spell had worked; they certainly hadn’t planned on the amount of damage to the Mystery Shack and perhaps the surrounding area. Not that that really mattered to Bill. He was just happy to be out of Sixer’s hellhole of a laboratory. Dipper on the other hand would probably be upset later, but for pete’s sake, Sixer deserved it, and it didn’t seem like Shooting Star or Sixer’s twin were home, so no harm no foul. 

And that was where their opinions differed; Dipper still wanted to protect Ford, even after everything they had been put through by him. He still believed in the importance of family, even though they didn’t seem to care for him much anymore. Bill wasn’t sure whether he should be frustrated or happy with that; after all, him caring for his family was a sign that Pine Tree wasn’t in control, which was definitely good. But his sentiment sure got in the way sometimes. Like now, where Dipper was glancing back to see if Ford had followed them out to safety, instead of getting himself out of danger first. Bill gritted his teeth and grabbed his wrist, wrenching him towards the back door and out of harm’s way. 

Meanwhile, Ford had made it to the third bunker, the one where the remnants of the original portal still sat, dismantled but a reminder to trust no one. A reminder he certainly needed it seemed; he always fell for Cipher’s tricks. He hurried across the room, ignoring the reflex to run back up the stairs and out of harm’s way. God forbid he be trapped down here for the rest of his life. He might lose his remaining shred of sanity. But no, if he could just reach the device, he wouldn’t need to worry. Everything could go back to normal, or better. He could get a chance at a normal life, free of demonic activity and interdimensional travel. His family could be whole again, instead of the broken mess it was now. 

He scrambled in his pocket for the key, he carried it constantly just in case, which had obviously been more than just the paranoia talking. Unlocking the small compartment in the lock box, he withdrew the case and opened it, revealing the one item he had dared to bring home from the other world despite its illegal properties. The infinity die glittered softly, its many sides changing constantly, from numbers to letters to symbols. Ford took a deep breath; he could go to time jail if he was caught with this thing. But it was his only option. A new reality had to be preferable to this. He cringed as he felt a tremor reaching as low as this level; it was now or never. He rolled the die onto the tabletop, watching as it softly tumbled to a complete stop. A single symbol burned on the top side, but before Ford could discern what it was, the world faded to black, the symbol the last light in this world. 

**End of the origin**

**010110000110111000100000011010010110110001110110001000000110010101110001011000110110100100100000011010110110011101101101011101000010000001100110011011000110011101110110011010000010000001110111011001100010000001110011011101110010000001111000**

**World ? continues**

Dipper gasped as he came back to himself; he hoped that had worked. If anyone could do it, he believed Geno!Dipper could; at least, compared to the other Dippers he stood a chance(I mean really, Dipper Gleeful? That was just plain weird, even for him). It was up to him now. 

He glanced around the empty room and was tempted by the thought of returning to his mindscape to watch the events he had started play out, but no. He did not want to die simply because he was trapped in his own mind. “Alright then Codex, where are you? I can sense you nearby, no need to hide.” 

The door slid open, and two people walked in. Or rather, one body, but two souls. Dipper turned to see his sister Mabel, one eye filled with tears, one eye completely black; one hand holding a scroll, and the other clamped firmly around the first, as though trying to hold itself back. One body at war with itself; it was painful to watch. 

“So you chose Mabel after all?” Dipper let out a sigh and sank down to the floor, crossing his legs in a calm fashion. “Get on with it then.” 

“N-no… Dipper you have to run, get out of here!” Mabel’s voice was pleasant to hear, even distressed. It reminded Dipper of home, at least, the home he had had in this world, before everything had changed. Before he could see. 

A cruel laugh came out of Mabel’s laugh next, Codex regaining control. “Oh yes please Dipdop, run, run away. I do love the thrill of the chase, and goodness knows you don’t usually put up much of a fight. Ooh, or better yet, kill me now! I’m standing right in front of you, you could snuff me out with a wave of your hand. Stand up for yourself!” 

Dipper allowed a small smile to grace his face. “You know I won’t touch you while you hide in my sister’s body, that’s why you chose her after all. As for standing up for myself, I already have. You won’t last much longer in these universes Codex, I have ensured that.” 

“Oh yes, by contacting another you, of course. Because when you can’t trust anyone, trust yourself I suppose. Good plan.” Codex shook off Mabel’s resisting hand, making it hang at her side uselessly. He shook the scroll out with a grin. “Good luck with that. Any last words before I begin the spell?” 

“Only that I hope you find what you’re looking for.” 

“Oh I will. You can be sure of that.” Codex began to read the spell, both Mabel’s eyes began to glow with power, and Dipper closed his eyes, unwilling to watch his oncoming death. He knew what the spell would do; it was made to trap spiritual entities in vessels, usually to contain demons so they couldn’t cause any more havoc. But because he was already on the physical plane, it would have the reverse effect; he would be ripped from his body, effectively killing him and continuing the cycle. He had already tried to find a spell that could save him, send his soul to the mindscape, anything; but none of the material he found would work without a great sacrifice, usually other human souls. And that was far beyond what he was willing to do. It was all up to the other pine trees now. “Wkh wdoh'v wrog, wkh vxpphu'v grqh...” And the world faded to black. 

**End of world**

**LZRWK ECZYIW DY GNG CT FTBKY; TNG QWCLXI'M HENB KNW PFLKX. GVS HRBMYJLR KWYP LFIF YNZZ NTTIN; UTA HVRC UIYSD GVWF GNIMW?**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the wrapping up of two stories. Kind of. There will be more to the origin eventually, but this is quite enough to be going off of for now. :)  
> Thanks for all the kind responses! If you guys want, since I've learned the secret of inserting images, lol, I can add a picture of May's (or rather, my) amulet from a few chapters ago. Let me know if you'd like to see that!  
> The codes for this chapter are definitely more complicated; I've stepped up my game haha. The first is a binary code, combined with a vigenere that I'll give a hint to in a couple days if no one's figured it out by then. The second I'll let you figure out on your own ;) and the third is a vigenere, the key is a well known phrase in gravity falls, again I'll give a hint if no one's figured it out in a bit :D  
> Also, (if you guys wouldn't mind) if you're enjoying this story tell your friends! I'd love to see this story get to a thousand views before its conclusion, which may or may not be sooner rather than later, I haven't decided. Let me know what you think about that too, should I end the story while it's still interesting, or do you guys want to see more of the other dimensions?  
> Thanks for reading!


	11. POKEFALLS

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A miniworld, and the amulet tests out it's limits...

**138th world from the origin**

Dipper tapped out another couple words, filling the blank screen only a fractional amount. He let out a sigh; his new novel was not coming along so well. And his editor wanted to see a rough draft in a week. That was just short of impossible, even for him. He ran a hand through his hair and yawned slowly. Sleep might be a good thing; what was it, three A.M.? He glanced at the clock and did a double take. Seven?! He had stayed up all night? 

He stood up and almost fell over with exhaustion. Yikes, how had he missed that? No wonder he was having trouble, he had never worked well without rest. He stretched slowly, massaging his aching limbs. Alright; food first, then sleep. He made his way towards his small kitchen, opening the fridge and pulling out a yogurt cup. Loud thumping came from above his head, and he looked up at the roof in annoyance. His upstairs neighbors, making too much noise again. The one real issue with renting an apartment; he supposed it couldn’t really be helped, but that didn’t make it any less annoying. 

He devoured the yogurt, astonished that he had successfully ignored his grumbling stomach for this long. Making a stop at the bathroom to grab a sleeping pill, he finally made it to his bedroom and collapsed on his small bed. He moaned into the pillow; already sleep was overtaking him. Faintly, somewhere in his drowsy mind, he registered perhaps a scream, a siren? The smell of smoke and the thump of heavy footsteps. But Dipper was lost to the dreamscape, that tempting world of peace and silence known to all beings, and dangerous to a select few. 

**End of world 138**

**Q'Z LMGBBLJ BMZRI WS BAGV.**

**MPUW BG TGGW QR WWOMJS**

**World 143**

Dipper Pines, soon to be a Pokemon Master (at least, according to him) was facing off against the most extreme legendary he had ever seen. Beside him was his sister Mabel, who’s goal was to be a famous pokemon breeder. They both had their best pokemon out, for Dipper a Lvl X Charizard, and for Mabel a Lvl 100 Chansey, her finest. In front of them was the legendary Pokemon Cipher, an enormous golden pyramid that they had managed to piss off pretty well. 

Dipper turned to Mabel and nodded; if they were ever gonna catch Cipher, now was the time. Mabel returned the gesture, and shouted, “Chansey! Double Edge!” 

Her Pokemon leapt at Cipher, while Dipper called out, “Char! Flamethrower!” Faced with the two creatures’ attacks at once, Cipher was momentarily distracted. Dipper shouted, “Mabel, now!” 

Mabel grabbed a Pokeball from her bag, but not just any Pokeball; the Master Ball Proffessor Oak had given them so long ago, saved til this moment. She hurled it at Cipher, hitting it square on the side. With a cry of rage, Cipher disappeared into the ball, and the twins watched anxiously while the device rocked back and forth once, twice, then settled to a stop. The pair let out a cheer; they had caught Cipher, the master of worlds! 

Just as Dipper picked up the Master Ball, the ground suddenly shook, shadows seeming to pour from the walls of the cave they were in. The twins moved closer to each other, Dipper ordering Char to flare up his tail in an attempt to shed more light on the situation. But the shadows seemed to absorb the light, so that the little group couldn’t see more than a foot into the darkness. There was silence for a moment, other than the nervous movement of the near identical humans. 

Suddenly, one of the shadows darted out and grabbed Dipper around the ankle. Before he could even let out a cry, the mass of darkness had picked him up and flung him against the far wall. A loud snap! rang out as Dipper made contact with the stone, and he slid down to the floor, unmoving. Mabel let out a scream, running towards him with their Pokemon. But before she could reach him, a soft yellow glow came from the amulet around Dipper’s neck, (which Mabel couldn’t remember ever having been there before) and engulfed the nearby Master Ball lying next to the boy. The Master Ball popped open, unleashing the still furious legendary. It turned to the little group in anger, but stopped suddenly when it saw the mass of shadow surrounding them. Instead of attacking the trainers that had captured it, Cipher let out a blue beam of energy from its single eye into the darkness, eliciting a shrill screech from it. 

To Mabel’s surprise, the shadows gathered in the center of the cave, forming an almost humanoid mass, which then proceeded to retaliate, sending out waves of dark matter in an attempt to subdue the pyramid it seemed. As the battle raged on, Mabel whipped out her Pokedex, scanning the shadow mass in some attempt to gain information on it. But to her surprise, when scanned the Pokedex displayed only question marks, mixed with garbled, indecipherable text. This Pokemon, if that’s what it was, had never been seen before. Maybe she could catch it! 

A Pokemon’s call from behind caught her attention; Char was standing over Dipper’s body, nudging him gently and murmuring to him in an attempt to wake him up. Mabel hurried over; only to stare at her bro in shock. Dipper’s back was bent at a definitely unnatural angle, and he didn’t appear to be breathing. Mabel knelt beside him and tried to take his pulse, but to her horror, there was nothing. Still that strange amulet glowed on his chest; and now that Mabel looked closer, it seemed to be hovering slightly, pulling towards the battle behind them. But even as she watched, its glow dimmed, until it died, dropping back onto the teen’s still chest without a sound. Slowly the shadows around them grew, until the world was dark once more. 

**End of world 143**

**WLTSGWD CQWMHU; KZIFGGR UITJBAWF**

**NGLW XBTM AB OINZ ZSKR**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> POKEMON, GOTTA CATCH EM ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL XD And first real appearance of Mabel!  
> Thanks for that fantastic au idea Ihavealotoffandomsilove!  
> The codes are kinda random this time, just let me know if you want a hint :)  
> Also! On chapter seven there is now a link for a picture of the amulet, if you'd like to check that out!  
> Thanks for reading! (and sorry this chapter is kind of short, the next few might be like this while I work through some au ideas that just HAD to be done and figure out where I want to leave the story, so bear with me if you please ;) )  
> For updates and other bonus stuff check out my Tumblr, _kzcecildippingsauce.tumblr.com_ , you know, if you want to :P  
> SONG INSPIRATION: The Kids Aren't Alright by Fall Out Boy


	12. Update (?)

Just something to ask you guys: does anyone still want to see this story? Obviously I haven't been able to update in months, and I'm not certain there are still people interested in the conclusion. If not I'll just let this story be as is, and move on to other projects. :)  
Let me know in the comments!


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